Circuit-closer for speed-indicators.



I. GOLDSTEIN & L. STEINER.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR SPEED INDICATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I3, 1914.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. GOLDSTEIN & L. STEINER.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR SPEED INDICATORS.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 13, m4.

1,149,042. Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

\1 a 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

R Hex:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- JACOB GOLD STEIN AND LOUIS STEINER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR SPEED-INDICATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t 3, 1 5,

Application filed June 13, 1914. Serial No. 845,010.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAooB GOLDSTEIN and LOUIS STEINER, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in the county 5 and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Circuit-Closer for Speed- Indicators, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to automobile signals, and has for its object to provide improved and simplified means for indicating the speed of the vehicle, that is, whether it has stopped, is moving at slow speed, or at normal speed.

A further object is to accomplish this result automatically and in a reliable and economical manner, whereby the signal displayed will be positively controlled by the actual speed of the vehicle, and that without the consumption of a considerable amount of electricity.

Another object is to provide means for indicating an intended turn to the left or right, and to sound an alarm simpltaneously when giving either of these signals in order to direct the attention of persons in the locality to such indicating device or signal.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this, specification, and then more particularly defined in the claims at the endof the 35 description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used throughout the several views to designate corresponding parts :Figure 1 is a general view of a signal constructed in accordance with the present invention, partly diagrammatic, and the compressed-air cylinder being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the signal casing, showing the side license plate. Fig. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the casing, showing the circuits to the speed indicator lamps, and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the circuits to the right and left signal lamps and to the bell.

60 Fig. 5 'is a detailed view of the contact member carried by the piston stem.

In Fig. 1, A indicates a blower or compressor which may be connected to the driving shaft of an automobile (not shown) by a suitable driving connection a, shown in dotted lines. The blower or compressor will,

6 is adapted to move under the influence of compressed air from the blower, against the tension of a spring 6 which is coiled about" the stem 6 and normally tends to hold the piston at the end of the cylinder which is entered by the pipe The stem 6 pro- ]ects from the other end of the cylinder and carries at or near its extremity a resilient con-tact device D adapted to move between a pair of contact plates arranged parallel to the line of movement of the piston and its stem. The stem of the piston may be made angular in cross-section to prevent it from turning. The end of the stem which carries the contact member D is separated from the other part of said stem by insulation, as at b The contact member D may comprise a plurality of links at, preferably four connected end to end into a general rectangular form. The connecting pin cl for two of the links is fixed to the stem 6 while the diametrically opposite connecting pin d is free to slide along the stem and is pressed by a spring E for yieldingly holding the other two connecting pins (i in contact with the parallel contact plates hereinbefore mentioned. One of the parallel contact plates is made in three parts F, F and F 3 which are insulated from one another. The other parallel contact plate F is made in a single piece extending the full length of the three opposite contact plates F, F and F The cylinder B is provided with a series of vent openings, preferably three, G, G and G which are arranged at proper intervals and suitably located along the cylinder so that said openings will be succemively uncovered by the piston as the latter is moved to bring the contact member D opposite the contact plates F, F and F When the piston has passed the last of the three vent openings, G and the contact member D is arranged opposite the contact plate F as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, a sufficient quantity of compressed air will be allowed to escape through the three vent openings to prevent a further movement of the piston against the influence of the spring b,

arranged three lamps correspondin to the three contact vehicle is movin On the back of the vehicle there is attached a. casing H having a bulls-eye or other suitable o ening within lwhich are ifierently colored electric plates F, F and The lamp K which corresponds to the contact plate F, is red. The lamp K which corresponds to the contact plate F is white, while the lamp K which corresponds to the contact late F is green. It will be understood, 0 course, that while the colors indicated are preferable, an others which are readily distinguishab e from one another may be emplo ed, if desired. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, electric connections are made from a battery or generator L to the three s eed indicating lamps K, K and K, an to the contact plate F, F, F and F, as follows: Wires or conductors M, M and M run from the respective lamps K, K and K direct to the contact plates F, F and F respectively. A wire or conductor M runs from one terminal of the battery L and branches, as at m, to the other terminal of each of the lamps K, K and K, while another wire or conductor M leads from the other terminal of the battery to the contact plate F. It will thus be seen that the contact member D will complete the circuit through one or another of the lamps according to the position of said contact member which is controlled by the piston (17. Thus, when the vehicle is stopped, the piston is at the right hand end of the cylinder'and the contact member D engages the contact late F and completes the circuit through t e red lamp K which is used as a signal for indicating that the vehicle is not moving. When the at slow speed the compressed air furnis ed by the blower or compressor A, will force the piston b to an intermediate position, moving the contact member D into engagement with the contact plate F when the circuit will be completed through the white lamp K, which is used to indicate slow speed. mien the vehicle is running at normal s eed the air compressed by the blower will e at higher tenslon and will force the iston beyond the vent openings G, G and 8 and bring the contact member D into contact with the contact plate F thereby closing the circuit through the green lamp K which is used to indicate that the vehicle carrying the signal is moving at normal speed. It will be noted that as the blower is connected up with the driving shaft of the automobile,

every change of speed of the latter must necessarily e communicated to said blower, so that an increase in speed of the vehicle will increase the velocity of the blower and correspondingly increase the pressure valve supplied to the cylinder B bysaid blower. Consequently, the speed indicating lamps are positively controlled b the actual s eed of the vehicle. 'One 0 the wires or tile conductors in the circuits to said speed indicating lamps, as the wire M, may be provided with a switch N for interrupting said circuits during the daylight hours or when the vehicle is not in use. The casing H may be further provided with cutout signals L and R which when illuminated will indicate an intended turn to the left or right, .respectively. Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, O designates an electric lamp arranged in the casing H near the signal L, and P designates a similar lamp arran d in the casing adjacent the signal R3. he circuits to t ese lamps O and P include the battery L, wires R and R leading from opposite terminals of the battery to the lamps and to a switch arm S, respectively, and other wires R and R leading, respectively, from the lamps O and P to contacts T and T arranged within the sweep of the switch arm S. An alarm bell U may also be placed in the casing and connected up with the battery L and with contacts U and U located adjacent the contacts T and T, respectively. The contacts T and U are adapted to be simultaneously engaged by the switch arm S, as are also the contacts T and U so that the alarm will be sounded when either of the lamps O or P is lighted. These right and left signal lamps are controlled by the driver from the switch arm S which is arranged in convenient reach on the vehicle. The connection from the battery to the bell is through a wire U, while a wire U leads from said bell and branches to the contacts U and U. Provision may also be made on the casing for displaying the license number both at the rear and at the side. The rear license plate V is provided with an electric lamp V, while the side license late W, which is arran ed at the end of the casin is illuminatedfiy an electric lamp W. he lam s V and W are in direct circuit with the battery via wires Y and Y in order that these lam 5 may be kept constantly burning. One oft 0 wires Y or Y may have a switch Z for. cutting ofi the current to these lamps in the dayltime or when the vehicle is not in use.

aving thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A circuit closer for s eed indicators comprising a pair of paralle contact plates, one of WhlCh 1s sectional and the other continuous, electric signal circuits to said contact plates, and a contact member movable between said contact plates for successively closing said circuits, comprising a lurality of links yieldingly held in exten ed position to take upany irregularities or wear in the contact plates. 2. A circuit closer for speed indicators said contact member III comprising a pair of parallel contact plates, one of which is sectional and the other continuous, electric signal circuits to said contact plates, a member movable between said contact plates, a series of links pivoted end to end in rectangular formation, the pivot of two of said links being fixed to said movable member, and resilient means pressing against the diametrically opposite pivot for yieldingly holding the other two pivots in contact with said contact plates.

3. A circuit closer for speed indicators comprising a pair of parallel contact plates,

one of which is sectional and the other continuous, electric signal circuits to said contact plates, a member movable between said contact plates but out of contact therewith,

a series of links pivoted end to end in rectangular formation, the pivot of two of said links being fixed to said movable member, and resilient means pressing against the diametrically opposite pivot for yieldingly holding the other two pivots extended beyond the sides of said movable member and in contact with said contact plates.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JACOB GOLDSTEINH LOUIS STEINER.

Witnesses:

E. STEUERNAGEL, WM. M. CHRISTIE. 

